Reading the day before that part of Terry's (T-Bird) Memorial was going to be at Bald River Falls near Tellico Plains, TN I left earlier than planned giving myself 4 hours to ride 120 miles to the Exxon gas station in Tellico Plains and other riders.
Left home Friday morning as the Valley temperature was at about 60F with clear blue skies above me.
No need to stop for gas as the 1800 at mid 6o's mph will travel about 45 miles a gallon and I have nearly 6 gallons in the tank.
Up and over the mountain to Cherokee and not many leaf peepers in evidence on the road.
A couple of back roads help me avoid Cherokee and I'm on the 4 lane just east of Bryson City with the sun warming my back.
And then the clear blue skies filled in with low clouds that hang on the tree tops as I ride through the Nantahala Gorge.
After a couple more miles the skies clear again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_BL6cBLIsI hoped for a fall color, flat water photo op at Fontana Lake but a breeze foiled that.
A few slow leaf peepers in the Nantahala Gorge and following a pallet hauling semi for a few miles has eaten into my time a little but there's a big cushion still.
Back on Hwy 64 and heading west I stop for a photo op
https://www.strangecarolinas.com/2020/01/worlds-largest-rideable-motorcycle.htmlNext stop in my route is Hiawassee Dam and I'm on schedule, nearly.
The 430 ton show turbine lies waiting for a superhero to use as a discus to ward off invading aliens.
I zoom past the Field of the Woods
https://cogop.org/fow/I'm looking forward to the ride up Hwy 68 to Tellico Plains. It's been a few years and the smooth surface can lead to some large Cheshire Cat grins as the road swoops up and over a few of the southern Appalachian mountain tails.
BUT NOT TODAY
The roads crews are out fixing the road by gouging off the surface in preparation for laying a new top surface.
My side of the road has already been gouged and left grooved with a few patched holes to make the ride more fun. A fine dust is hanging in the air with some coating the roadside vegetation AND MY BIKE.
Flagmen seem to take delight in my frustration as the clock ticks inexorably on and the "Follow Me" vehicle escorts us through the active work zone at a snail pace further eating into my time reserve. This compounded with me being behind a line of cars, RV's and towed travel trailers (caravan) means I will be late, LATE. I despise being late.
I am late arriving at Tellico Plains and a few riders already at the meeting point tell me the T-Bird group has already left for Bald River Falls so I zip down the road hoping to arrive there on time.
A clear run on the Cherohala Skyway and Bald River Falls Rd fills me with optimism until I end up behind another towed travel trailer .
Arriving at the Falls I see Smokin Joe and the group walking away from the Falls. I'm LATE AGAIN.
A quick photo of the bike and I follow Detn8er away from the Falls. I'm pissed off and not in the right frame of mind to hang around waiting for others.
We ride up to the big overlook on the Skyway where everyone normally stops to find a few more F.C.R riders there, Punisher amongst them.
Hellos shared and we take in the view waiting for the rest of the group to arrive from the Falls.
A roar of Valkyries approaching can be heard and the group rides into view and straight by the overlook. I'm foiled again.
The universe is planning against me today and I decide to just roll with the punches and not get a technical K.O.
Rounding a left curve on the Skyway the mountain side on the other side of the valley is bathed in sunlight and the autumnal colors form a vibrant patchwork quilt. It's beautiful to see. The driver in the black pick up ahead also thought the colors were amazing. So amazing he had stopped in our lane, not a care in the world for other road users.We are able to use the traffic free oncoming lane to bypass the vehicle.
Arriving at the Joyce Kilmer Forest turn Punisher and I wait for Detn8er. He and Punisher decide to ride on to the motel in Robbinsville and I head up to the Lake Santeelah overlook.
The ride up is still bumpy but the road hasn't deteriorated.
The view from the overlook is wonderful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QytmUQ30J04On to the motel and many happy greetings shared.
I drank a few beers to quickly and had to retire early.
https://www.relive.cc/view/v36AgKzKpGvMore to follow.
